Newk's

[shsman2091]

I'm going to Newk's summer camp for four weeks this summer, from July 1-29. I'm so excited. I'm not really a great tennis player, around 3.5-4.0, but I'm primarily doing this so that it looks good on my transcript for college. I'm only a sophomore and ranked 2nd singles on our varsity team, but hopefully with my grades and some sumemrs at a tennis academy, along with some other community blah blah blah, I hope I can get into an Ivy. Anyhow, is anyone else from these boards going to Newk's during the summer?

 

[goober]

I'm going to Newk's summer camp for four weeks this summer, from July 1-29. I'm so excited. I'm not really a great tennis player, around 3.5-4.0, but I'm primarily doing this so that it looks good on my transcript for college. I'm only a sophomore and ranked 2nd singles on our varsity team, but hopefully with my grades and some sumemrs at a tennis academy, along with some other community blah blah blah, I hope I can get into an Ivy. Anyhow, is anyone else from these boards going to Newk's during the summer?

I hope you have fun at the camp and undoubtedly you will improve.

But going to a camp is not going to improve your chances in getting into an Ivy league University. Ivys want well rounded individuals no doubt, but athletic accomplishments pretty much only mean anything if they are outstanding. We had about 25 students get into Ivys the year I graduated high school. Only one person out of the 25 that was really helped by athletics. He was Nationally ranked in top 10 in cross country and was recruited by the Harvard coach. Pretty much everybody else was on a high school sport of some sort but had outstanding grades, SATs or some other highly unique part of their background.

 

[shsman2091]

I hope you have fun at the camp and undoubtedly you will improve.

But going to a camp is not going to improve your chances in getting into an Ivy league University. Ivys want well rounded individuals no doubt, but athletic accomplishments pretty much only mean anything if they are outstanding. We had about 25 students get into Ivys the year I graduated high school. Only one person out of the 25 that was really helped by athletics. He was Nationally ranked in top 10 in cross country and was recruited by the Harvard coach. Pretty much everybody else was on a high school sport of some sort but had outstanding grades, SATs or some other highly unique part of their background.

Understood, but it will improve chances slightly, because it is an extra activity outside of academics, and a pretty costly rare one if I may add. Grades are not enough, for if they were, I think my 105.4 GPA (weighted) and #2 class rank out of 312 students would be enough. Haven't taken the SAT's yet, but scored a perfect 800 on Chem SAT II exam, and have taken old SAT's scoring on an average between 1400-1500. Yet if u look at statistics, thousands of valedictorians and high scorers are rejected because they do not have that certain "hook" that colleges are looking for, whether that be having great interest in science and math competitions, playing a rare instrument, or even perhaps going to a top tennis academy for consecutive summers. This helps the colleges know that one is not getting good grades because they are just a study freak, but rather because they love to learn and have a balanced life. In addition to tennis and good grades, I'm also planning to join the science tournament that greatly helped my friend get into Harvard by placing into the semis of it, the Intel Talent Search competition. Anyhow, I just don't think it is fair to say that having a tennis academy on your transcript will not help at all, it will "hook" the admissions officer if only for a second longer.

 

[VolklVenom]

how boring, and btw, Newk's is a d***head.

 

[chrisplchs]

shsman, the certain "hook" that colleges are looking for is called a really rich and giving daddy. going to an academy means jack squat and I saw this as one of the reviewers at a top 5 university. Also, placing in the Intel STS is really really hard. I was a finalist but it was helped greatly as my research lead to 4 patents. Getting a scholarship to the tennis academy would help but that would prelate you being a great player. As for Newk's it is kind of toss up. their summer academy is really laidback so i am not sure how much you would improved as opposed to going to a Hopmann's or VanDerMeer's.

 

[shsman2091]

shsman, the certain "hook" that colleges are looking for is called a really rich and giving daddy. going to an academy means jack squat and I saw this as one of the reviewers at a top 5 university. Also, placing in the Intel STS is really really hard. I was a finalist but it was helped greatly as my research lead to 4 patents. Getting a scholarship to the tennis academy would help but that would prelate you being a great player. As for Newk's it is kind of toss up. their summer academy is really laidback so i am not sure how much you would improved as opposed to going to a Hopmann's or VanDerMeer's.

Hmm, interesting, I find it quite sad and very discouraging that one of our nation's top 5 universities had a reviewer that considers a hook to be "a really rich and giving daddy." Because according to everyone that I know, talked to, and read about that have either been to Ivies, or are retired administration officers, well they would just beg to differ. As far as your statement about the tennis academy, it may be laidback, but I do not intend to be laidback. I believe in a philosophy that the person decides their fate, and how much they get out of something, not the materials. For instance, a kid that goes to a horrible secondary school can still work hard and through determination be recognised as an extraordinary intellect. Lastly, I too have already established considerable and reliable help, three professors at Cornell University, two of which are my uncles :mrgreen: . But your four patents are very impressive, good for you sir, and I don't consider this a piece of cake either, just as I did not consider maintaining a 105.4 GPA, which is still rising, along with three 5's so far on AP exams either. Thanks for your encouraging help though, I mean without people like you, where would that little extra burning incentive to achieve and surpass your generation come from?

 

[shsman2091]

how boring, and btw, Newk's is a d***head.

If you look elsewhere on this forum, I have heard great praise for the academy. So to oppose such praise, I think a bit more than just swearing at the academy would be necessary.

 

[chrisplchs]

Shsman, you seem very qualified, but have some fun. My quote isn't actually a quote from me, but from one of my dean's, when I asked her why some kids, seemingly so dumb, can get in. I actually go to a very highly ranked school, both academically and athletically. But this goes on at every university, especially the presitgious private schools. They set aside almost 25 percent of their incoming class to the progeny of established alumni, celebrities, and politicans and to varsity athletes.

Yes this isn't fair but neither is life. I am sure you are very qualified but sometimes, it almost seems like a crap shoot on whether you get in to a school or not. I was fortunate to get in to my first choice but many of my friends, who had better grades, test scores, and extras, did not get in.

Shsman, if you really want to get in to a top tier school, stand out. How? I don't know. IntelSTS is great but you have to win at it and each year, more and more people apply and each year's application pool is richer than the previous. Playing tennis helps, but if you just "play" instead of devoting huge hours to traveling across America as a top ranked junior player, it is just a dent to the officer compared to a permanent check mark ingrained in his brain.

Being a master of one thing is a lot better than being a jack of all trades when it comes down to this whole application thing. Fortunately for me, my "one thing" was good enough to stand out.

Also about Newk's, which I have attended, it is a good academy, but the summer coaches just won't make you do as much. Few kids that go there in the summer are superserious about their game, but rather look for a relaxed atmosphere while maintaining their level. and the food is bad.. really bad

 

[VolklVenom]

food is crap, and lets be serious, your going to a camp because you are serious. If all you want is a casual hit, do that with friends.
The Newk's camp is a scam and below par. They will not give you the value you seek.

 

[mikejsb876]

ive worked at newks now going to be my second year i was a camp counselor/pro and i will say that the camp is FUN oriented, im a college player and if you want to play ivy, you need to go to a SERIOUS program, more like the tennis academy at newks, ill be in the academy all of may and i would tell u to look into that, it will help you much more than the camp.... trust me mate!

 

[shsman2091]

Thanks for the help guys, especially Chris and Mike. Chris, I definitely agree with you on everything in your last post, and the truth is that I just do not really have a hook, a specialty, rather I'm just one of the thousands kids that have awesome grades, lots of clubs, and are well-rounded. And while that might get me into other great universities, its not going to get me into the best of the best. I've been playing the violin for nine years, but then there are those applicants who have played at Carnegie Hall and etc etc. I did talk to some of my uncles who have somewhat of an insider's info on this thing, and they told me that a lot of applicants being accepted are those that have started their own clubs and charities for great causes, so I'm going to look in that department along with the Intel.

Thanks for your advice Mike, only problem is that I have to stay in this school up till the end of June. Perhaps next year I can arrange something with some more serious programs.

 

[chrisplchs]

Definitely, the academy is more worth it than the camp at Newk's but it is i think in 3 week blocks. As Mike said, the camp caters to fun and the highest level players there are usually only champs, instead of superchamps. The academy is actually pretty cheap price wise compared to most of the other places but most of the top players from Newk's year round academy are off traveling the circuit so usually they are only a handful of top 900 usta players there, instead of 5 or 10 top 100 world juniors.

Also, I figure your uncles at cornell would help get you some type of research activities at Cornell where you can be eligible for STS. Just email some profs after reading their research and if it sounds interesting, it is worth a shot. Be warned, however, that professors, especially at top tier schools (i don't say ivy because duke, stanford, and mit all are as good as the ivies), are notorious for not taking students outside of their school and most are reluctant to even take undergraduates from their own school. ask me if you need any help with this